MOUNT VERNON — The annual 5-mile run at the Fredericktown Tomato Show always features some of the best distance runners from Knox County and beyond.
But it’s been a long time since Fredericktown saw its own representatives dominate in this fashion.
Fredericktown students and residents took home most of the awards at this year’s race, held on Saturday. Bob Geiger, the boys cross country coach at Fredericktown High School, was the male overall winner, while student Emily Roberts was the female winner.
Geiger was the lone runner to finish below the 30-minute mark, coming in at 29:59.
“It’s a challenging course,” said Geiger. “The third mile and the fifth mile, especially, because of the hills.”
The course, which started at the high school parking lot and ended at South Main Street, winds around town and through a few hills, including the large hill at Foote Foundry.
As Geiger crossed the finish line, he did his traditional routine that he does at the finish of every race: He turned around to meet up with Dave Geiger, his father, who was also running.
“I don’t know when exactly that got started,” recalled the junior Geiger. “When I was about 12, my father used to teach me that, when I was finished, I should head straight through the chute and not look tired. He said it was because I would be racing against those other runners again.”
